Suckler cow herds and breeding ewe flocks must be included in any rescue package for Irish agriculture in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the president of the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA), Colm O’Donnell, has said.
O’Donnell made the comments in advance of the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed attending the EU's Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday.
"Emergency procedures must be triggered by the European Commission," O'Donnell said, adding that they need to be supported by both the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.
“Those legislative bodies need to adopt delegated acts in order to react effectively and efficiently against the threat of market disturbance which, is now impacting on all farm enterprises.
“The EU Commission must unlock its agricultural crisis reserve and use its Common Market Organisation (CMO) regulation to draft urgency procedures without delay."
First link in food supply chain
O'Donnell continued by saying: "The first link in the food supply chain is the primary producer, whether it be milk and cheese from the dairy sector, beef from our suckler cow or lamb from our ewe flock.
“All must be treated fairly and must now be given an emergency financial lifeline which must be diverted immediately back to the source of production and include all types of enterprise,” he said.
The INHFA president added that under Article 219 of EU regulation 1308/2013, "the Commission is empowered to utilise emergency procedures which can provide direct support to farmers without the conditionality that accompanied the €100m Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) which seen an underspend of almost a quarter of the allocation, with €24m sent back to Brussels".
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Suckler cow herds and breeding ewe flocks must be included in any rescue package for Irish agriculture in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the president of the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA), Colm O’Donnell, has said.
O’Donnell made the comments in advance of the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed attending the EU's Council of Ministers meeting on Wednesday.
"Emergency procedures must be triggered by the European Commission," O'Donnell said, adding that they need to be supported by both the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.
“Those legislative bodies need to adopt delegated acts in order to react effectively and efficiently against the threat of market disturbance which, is now impacting on all farm enterprises.
“The EU Commission must unlock its agricultural crisis reserve and use its Common Market Organisation (CMO) regulation to draft urgency procedures without delay."
First link in food supply chain
O'Donnell continued by saying: "The first link in the food supply chain is the primary producer, whether it be milk and cheese from the dairy sector, beef from our suckler cow or lamb from our ewe flock.
“All must be treated fairly and must now be given an emergency financial lifeline which must be diverted immediately back to the source of production and include all types of enterprise,” he said.
The INHFA president added that under Article 219 of EU regulation 1308/2013, "the Commission is empowered to utilise emergency procedures which can provide direct support to farmers without the conditionality that accompanied the €100m Beef Exceptional Aid Measure (BEAM) which seen an underspend of almost a quarter of the allocation, with €24m sent back to Brussels".
Read more
Government urged to seek supports for farmers from Europe
Farm inputs must be allowed to pass EU border checks
COVID-19: Boris Johnson orders lockdown for UK
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